Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1887-1890, 1887-07-30
MURDER WILL OUT.
Harry Patterson, alias James WILDER,
Arrested for a Crime Commit
ted Two Years Ago.

Neanesuay anu WAS Hieb " ohoii
Black who had been in waiting here for
his arrival for two days previous. About
II o'clock they arrested James Wiiber on
the charge of murder committed two years
ago in Wyoming, and the Wyoming Off
eiai being armed with a requisition signed
by Gov. Leslie, he left in company with
the prisoner and Sheriff Black. who will
accompany them as far as Helena, for the
scene of the crime.
Sheriff Smalley, who is a most affable
and courteous gentleman, as well rs one
of the most efficient officers in the west,
kindly gave a reporter of the TRIBUNE an
account Of the crime for which Harry Pat
terson ALIAS S. Sommerfield alias Jas. Will
Der, is now under arrest, and also a short
history of the accused previous to the muir
der. Five years ago WILDER, then known
as Harry Patterson, followed the vocation
of a cowboy and worked on the W
cattle ranch, on Old Woman's Fork il
Wyoming, and was arrested for cattle kill
ing by Nh. Smalley. His friends came to
his rescue and succeeded in securing his
release by paying for the stock killed. He
still continued in the employ of the OW
ranch until the spring of '95. At that time
Patterson was considered a pretty sleek
gambler among his companions, and while
at the village of Lusk, in Laramie county,
he got into a game of poker with another
cowboy, and lost heavily. After the
game was over the two walked out to-
gether. when Patterson deliberately shot
his companion and took the money which
he had lost and also that of his murdered
victims, and jumping on his horse and
skipped.
& warrant was Immediately placed in
the hands of Deputy Sheriff Tom Carroll,
and that officer shortly afterward secured
him at the OW ranch and started with his
prisoner for Cheyenne. While stopping
for supper at Raw Hide Bu.tes, Patterson
made his escape by jumping astride a sad
die horse which was standing unhitched
near by. He made direct for the OW
ranch where his companions, among
whom he was u sort of a king, furnished
him with the best horse upon the ranch
and started him northward. Deputy
Smalley was put on the trail of the es-
capped murderer and in a few months To-
Gated him at Fort Benton, where he went
under the alias of S. Summerfeld, and at
that time was working on the government
dredge boat. Before the necessary papers
reached there to secure his arrest
the boat was at Bismarck and the crew
discharged. Here all traces of his where
abouts were lost until a few months ago,
when Sheriff Black took hold of the mat
ter which resulted in Patterson's (alsds
WILDER, this time) arrest. Officer Small
ley is profuse in his praise of Sheriff
Black, whom he says is the prime factor
In bringing to justice n of the most
cold blooded and u%nprovoked murderers
unhung. The grand jury of Laramie
county found a true bill against Patterson
of which the following is a copy:
Territory of Wyoming, county Of Lara
ME, ss.-The district court of said county
and territory, in the name of the territory,
to any shirif in the territory of Wyoming:
An Indictment having been found on
the 10th day of June, 1885, in the district
court for the county of Laramie, charg-
ing Henry Patterson with the crime of
murder in the first degree. You are COM
manded to forthwith arrest the above-nam-
ed Henry Patterson and bring him before
this court to answer the Indictment. BY
order of the court:
JOHN 4. J~EFFERs, Clerk of Court.
A reward of $1,000 for Patterson's ap-
prehension and conviction followed this
action of the grand jury. Sheriff
Smalley says that two years
has failed to cool the righteous
wrath of the populace of the section where
the murder was committed and that Pat
terson would be strung up without the
sanction of judge or jury if they could get
at him. He says that there can be no
doubt but that Patterson, alias WILDER,
will be hung, as they have eye witnesses
~ pIofS GiidL LIZ ulI was hnpios
voked.
When arrested Patterson disclaimed all
knowledge of the crime and denied ever
being in Cheyenne. There a be nc
doubt but Patterson, alias Wiiber, is the
man wanted. Deputy Smalley persists in
calling him Harry, and while he disclaims
the name, nswers to it as though not al
together unaequainted with if.
WILDER SEES HIS WIFE.
at the hotel WILDER expressed a wish to
see his life and procure some clothes and
boots that were at his house. According
ly Deputy Sheriff Smalley and Sheriff
Black drove over there. Mrs. WILDER was
in the house and came after a while to
the door, where she was greatly surprised
to see WILDER standing with his hands
shackled. The officials told her that VIII
Der had been arrested as Patterson, and
that he had come for his clothes. WILDER